1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been known a card connector which is available for two types of memory cards which are different in width and length (see Japanese Patent No. 4204523).
FIGS. 24 to 29B illustrate the above-mentioned card connector, and FIGS. 1, 2, 7(a) to 7(d), 4, 5(a), 5(b), 6(a), and 6(b) described in Japanese Patent No. 4204523, correspond to FIGS. 24, 25, 26A to 26D, 27, 28A, 28B, 29A and 29B, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 24 to 29B, a housing 1003 is formed of an insulating material, such as a synthetic resin, and comprises a body 1001 having insulating properties and including a bottom board 1001a, opposite side walls 1001b and 1001c, and a rear wall 1001d, and a cover 1002, which has electrically conductive properties and is formed of a metal plate, including a top board 1002a, and opposite side boards 1002b and 1002c. The front of the housing 1003 is open and is formed with a slot (card insertion space) 1004 into which a first card 1100 and a second card 1200 can be inserted.
A card selector 1007 is accommodated in the housing 1003. The card selector 1007 is a member for distinguishing whether a card inserted into the slot 1004 is the first card 1100 or the second card 1200 and selectively receiving the first card 1100 into a lower area within the slot 1004 and the second card 1200 into an upper area within the same.
The card selector 1007 is formed by blanking and bending a thin metal plate. The card selector 1007 integrally includes an upper card insertion slot-forming board 1072, an introduction guide portion 1073, protruding pieces 1074a and 1074b, and push-up guide portions 1075a and 1075b. The card selector 1007 further includes a selector shaft 1076. The upper card insertion slot-forming board 1072 has opposite ends formed with L-shaped leg portions 1071a and 1071b, respectively. The distance between the leg portions 1071a and 1071b is wider than a lateral width of the first card 1100. The introduction guide portion 1073 is continuous with a front end of the upper card insertion slot-forming board 1072. The introduction guide portion 1073 is sloped in a manner descending forward. The protruding pieces 1074a and 1074b protrude toward each other from respective lower end parts of the leg portions 1071a and 1071b. The distance between the protruding pieces 1074a and 1074b is slightly narrower than the lateral width of the first card 1100. The push-up guide portions 1075a and 1075b are continuous with respective front ends of the protruding pieces 1074a and 1074b, extend along a card-inserting direction, and are sloped in a manner ascending forward.
Upper shaft-holding portions 1079a and 1079b are continuous with respective rear ends of the opposite ends of the upper card insertion slot-forming board 1072. Bearings 1077a and 1077b are continuous with respective rear ends of lower end pieces of the leg portions 1071a and 1071b. 
The selector shaft 1076 is sandwiched between the bearings 1077a and 1077b, and the upper shaft-holding portions 1079a and 1079b. Further, the selector shaft 1076 has opposite ends inserted in guiding grooves 1033a and 1033b, respectively, which are formed in the left side wall 1001b and the right side wall 1001c of the body 1001, respectively. With this arrangement, the selector shaft 1076 can move up and down in a state being parallel to a width direction of the body 1001. Further, the selector shaft 1076 is urged downward by right and left plate-shaped springs 1010a and 1010b, which are formed on the top board 1002a of the cover 1002, to thereby return to the initial position.
When the first card 1100 is inserted into the slot 1004, the push-up guide portions 1075a and 1075b are pushed up by a front end of the first card 1100, whereby the upper card insertion slot-forming board 1072 and the introduction guide portion 1073 move upward, to thereby form a lower card insertion slot 1036 into which the first card 1100 can be inserted. Therefore, it is possible to more deeply insert the first card 1100.
When the second card 1200 is inserted into the slot 1004, since the second card 1200 is not brought into contact with the push-up guide portions 1075a and 1075b, the selector shaft 1076 remains in the initial position thereof, so that the second card 1200 climbs onto the introduction guide portion 1073 which is at a location frontward of the selector shaft 1076, and is guided to the upper area within the slot 1004. Therefore, it is possible to more deeply insert the second card 1200.
When a front end of the second card 1200 inserted into the slot 1004 reaches a position above the upper card insertion slot-forming board 1072, if the second card 1200 is inclined due to some cause, the upper card insertion slot-forming board 1072 may be deformed by the front end of the second card 1200.
Further, when an amount of deformation of the upper card insertion slot-forming board 1072 becomes larger due to long-term use of the card connector, the function of the card selector 1007 for selectively receiving the first and second cards 1100 and 1200 is degraded, which may cause a difficulty in inserting the cards 1100 and 1200.